


but they don't really know me

by librarby



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Established Relationship, Gender-neutral Reader, Other, Secret Relationship, reader works in artefact storage!, yes i have brainrot. what of it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/librarby/pseuds/librarby
Summary: Jon’s standing in the doorway, looking down at a manila folder in his hands. “Sasha, do you–” He looks up and stops when he sees you. “You’re still here.”Coming from anyone else, you’d mistake his dry, laconic reply for rudeness, but this is Jon.(He always sounds like that. You get used to it.Eventually, if you’re lucky, it even becomes a little endearing.)[title from sophie by the altogether]
Relationships: Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist/Reader
Comments: 10
Kudos: 48





	but they don't really know me

**Author's Note:**

> ill populate the jon/reader tag entirely by myself if i have to, mark my words......im gay and i have no filter.

While your cubicle upstairs in Research boasts a little strip of pictures from a photo booth you once dragged Jon into, the Archivist’s office has no trace of you. 

It’s by design, something about ‘professionalism’ and ‘maintaining a clear workspace’, though you know he’s just been jittery ever since he was moved to the Archives. To go from being coworkers with Tim and Sasha (and Martin) to being their direct supervisor has been a lot more stressful for him than he would ever care to admit. 

Jon’s always been a private person (it took you two weeks to even learn his name back in Research) and you find it doesn’t bother you.

If anything, it makes visits to the Archives that much more fun. 

You always volunteer to bring requested materials downstairs, half because you get to see your boyfriend and half because you’re the only person that can do so without being snapped at. 

Today, you have a book from the library about vampires in the 19th century and a folder from Artefact Storage detailing a metal trunk that bleeds when it’s touched. You tuck the folder under your arm as you tap gently on Jon’s door. 

There comes the sound of papers rustling, then: “Come in.” 

You push open the door. Jon doesn’t seem surprised to see you.

“Hi, Jon.” You say, holding up the book in your hand. “I brought the things you asked for.” 

“Ah, thank you.” He holds out a hand, gesturing you forward. “The Artefact Report is mine and I believe the book is Tim’s.” 

You place the folder in his hand, letting your fingers brush for a few seconds more than normal. Jon’s face is unchanged, but he clears his throat and drops your gaze immediately after. You stifle your laugh. He really is too easy. 

“Thank you.” He repeats, already flipping through the report. 

You don’t respond for a few seconds, just standing and watching as his eyes flick back and forth across the page. The expression on his face is the one he always wears when he’s concentrating, whether that's watching one of his old science documentaries or attempting to make you dinner. It’s as though he’s trying to absorb every word into himself, to soak up all the information he possibly can. 

The smile on your face is entirely involuntary. 

“Send another request if you need anything else.” You say finally, moving back to the door. He finally glances back up at you, and for a moment you find yourself on the opposite side of that intense stare, the pressure of knowledge against your chest. Then his eyes soften, just enough to be noticeable. 

Your hand finds the doorknob. “Have a good day, Jon.” 

“Have a good day, Y/N.” He says, giving you a little nod before immediately returning to the report. 

You roll your eyes but smile as you close the door behind you. 

Tim’s desk is close by, and you find him there squinting at his computer. Sasha is beside him, pointing at something on the screen. They both look up when you approach. 

“Y/N!” Tim announces, eyeing the book in your hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

You hold it out to him and he practically snatches it from your grip with glee. 

“I had to hunt through three different sections to find that stupid book.” You inform him. 

Tim bows as best he can in his chair. “You have my eternal gratitude.” 

Sasha straightens up, flashing you a little smile. “How are you, Y/N?” 

You take a moment to clear a spot and sit on the edge of Tim’s desk, as you used to do back in Research each lunch break. 

“I’m doing good. Other than when Elias made me bring him thirty different Artefact Reports. You don’t even want to know how many times I had to walk up the stairs to his office.” Sasha nods in sage understanding. You look over to the empty desk near them. “Where’s Martin?” 

“Out following up on a statement, I think.” Sasha says. 

The sound Tim makes is somewhat similar to a laugh, but not quite. “Him being out is probably the only reason Jon is being a semi-reasonable person today.” 

You blink. “He seemed fine when I was in his office.” You say, even though you know in the back of your mind why that is. 

Tim sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Of course he seemed fine, you’re the only non-Archives employee in the whole Institute that can have a conversation with Jon that lasts longer than thirty seconds." He leans forward. "Please teach me your secrets.” 

You can’t help the laugh that escapes you. “I don’t have secrets. We just...talk.” 

Sasha shakes her head. “You’re the only one I ever see deliver materials anymore. Have they finally caught onto the fact that he’ll just shout at anyone else?” 

“I swear to _god_ I heard him laugh when you brought him that file on that fucked up mirror.” Tim says. “Jon doesn’t laugh.”

“Fucked up picture frame, actually. It just acted like a mirror.” You say, shaking your head. “And it’s not like _that_. I’m just the one that’s usually available.” 

(You don’t mention the fact that everyone else immediately makes themselves incredibly _unavailable_ the second a request comes up from the Archives.)

In what is either the world’s worst timing or the world’s best, Jon’s office door opens. He’s standing in the doorway, looking down at a manila folder in his hands. “Sasha, do you–” He looks up and stops when he sees you. “You’re still here.” 

Coming from anyone else, you’d mistake his dry, laconic reply for rudeness, but this is Jon. 

(He always sounds like that. You get used to it.

Eventually, if you’re lucky, it even becomes a little endearing.)

Before you can tell him you were just leaving, Tim turns to him, that telltale grin on his face that he gets whenever he’s about to do something he knows he’s not supposed to. “Say, boss, I heard you were talking with Y/N about that weird picture frame the other day.” 

Jon frowns. “Yes, we were.” 

Tim shares a glance with Sasha, something you can’t quite translate but you’re sure means they’ve just had an entire wordless conversation. 

“Hm. They’re a great conversationalist, don’t you think?” Tim continues. 

Oh. _Oh_. So that’s the game he’s playing. 

Jon blinks at him, clearly not catching on, his eyes flicking to you then back. You manage to cover your laugh with your hand and elbow Tim in the shoulder, but this only spurs him on. 

“I just think that you two have a lot in common, is all.” 

Jon’s face drops, fixing Tim with an irritated stare. “Tim, this is not appropriate.”

“I was just saying.” Tim says, putting his hands up. Sasha snorts and kicks him in the leg. 

You decide to put Jon out of his misery and stand up. “I should get back. My supervisor is probably wondering what’s taking me so long.” 

Jon somehow looks equally relieved as well as disappointed. “Ah. Well, thank you again for the materials. I’m sure they will prove very useful.”

“Of course. I’ll see you later.” You can’t help but smile at him before turning to Sasha and Tim to say goodbye. Sasha waves and Tim winks. 

You've just stepped out of the basement when your phone chimes with the first (of many, you're sure) annoyed text from Jon.

This goes on for...a while. 

To his credit, Tim (and by some accounts, Sasha) starts small and builds from there. A “Y/N’s hair looks nice today, right boss?” here and a “It’s nice of Y/N to bring us those reports, eh?” there. Sasha peppers in a “Y/N, you’re so nice. I bet anyone would be lucky to have you.” on occasion when Jon is within earshot. 

(Martin only ever contributes annoyed glances in your direction. Whatever _that’s_ about.)

Jon doesn’t play along, though he does occasionally grumble about it during date nights. You don't necessarily play along either, but in your defense, it _is_ pretty funny to watch Jon get made fun of by his coworkers who he is supposedly in charge of (and who are several years older than him, even if they don’t realize). 

The pinnacle occurs one Wednesday when you’re walking down to the Archives, two Artefact Reports and a paper from Research in your hand. You're supposed to go to lunch with Jon soon anyway, so you might as well deliver these on your way. 

You drop the Reports off in Jon’s office, and he follows you out after learning that the paper is about Smirke instead of something Archival related.

“Tim, how many times do I have to tell you to stop using the Institute resources for your...pet projects?” He says, even as you hand the folder to Tim (because what on earth are you going to do with a paper on architect Robert Smirke). 

Tim narrows his eyes. For a moment, you actually expect him to be legitimately angry, something you’re not sure you’ve ever seen from Timothy Stoker, but instead he opens his mouth and says: “How many times do I have to tell _you_ to stop requesting Reports you don't need just so you can see Y/N?"

For a moment, it’s like everything around you has frozen. He’s never been that _direct_ , just teasing the both of you in that way that's so _Tim_. Now, though, that seems to have been knocked up to 100.

You look to Jon for his reaction, almost instinctively holding your breath.

He rolls his eyes, and you finally think he’s had enough and he’s going to start shouting at Tim, but instead he turns to you. “Y/N?”

“...Yes?” 

He blinks slowly at you, his expression unreadable as usual but the small, familiar motion setting you a little more at ease. 

“Apologies if this seems forward, but would you like to get lunch with me? In a...non-platonic manner?” He says, because of _course_ he phrases it like that, of _course_ this is the route he's decided to go.

(And of course you think it’s cute.)

Tim gasps loudly and Sasha elbows him very quickly, directly in the ribs.

(Martin, who has been sitting quietly at his desk during this entire exchange, suddenly seems _very_ interested in his tea.)

You bring a hand up to your face, pretending to consider it. “Well, I _guess_ my afternoon is open.” 

(This gets you a glare from Jon and a muffled snort from Sasha.)

“I mean, we were already planning to go out anyway.” You say, turning so you’re looking at Tim, whose face finally drops as he takes in your words. “I mean we’ve been together for what, six months? Can hardly call it a first date.”

Sasha finally lets out the laugh that you can tell she’s been holding. “I knew it!"

“You're dating my boss? And you didn't tell me?" Tim says, throwing his hands up. "I thought we were friends, Y/N. You wound me."

“You never asked!" You say, earning you one very, very irritated glare (two, if you count the one Martin is currently giving you across the room). "And, as much as I’d love to stay and talk, it seems I have a date.” You reach over to take Jon’s hand (he goes stiff for a second, but doesn’t make any move to pull away). 

Sasha waves with a grin. “Have fun.” 

“Y/N, I am going to _grill_ you when you get back. I want to know everything.” Tim says, pointing at you accusingly with his pen. 

You wave and take the opportunity to yank Jon toward the exit. 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @ jonbinary!! comments and kudos are the dark sun and i am manuela.


End file.
